


Give Me a Sign

by shipskicksandgiggles



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anxiety, Bucky Barnes Centric, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, Deaf Clint Barton, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Mental Health Issues, Overstimulation, Sign Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-09-26 15:10:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20391730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipskicksandgiggles/pseuds/shipskicksandgiggles
Summary: Overstimulation happens to the best of us. Sometimes, friends help





	Give Me a Sign

**Author's Note:**

> so this was a short little drabble I wrote because I got really overstimulated this morning and it gave me a really interesting concept for these two becoming friends. I ran with it and here we are, 5 hours later with a fic

There were days when he was so utterly exhausted, it hurt to move. He could barely function like he believed he was supposed to. If it required even the tiniest bit of effort, he wouldn’t be able to do it. Every breath felt like he was running a marathon. Noise echoed around him, surrounding him. All he wanted was quiet.

Clint found him on a windowsill high above the commons area. He had chosen it because it was difficult to reach, although what is difficult when you used to be in the circus?

“Hey,” he whispered. In his hands he held a mug. Something warm based on the steam coming off the top. “Thought you might want this.”

He shook his head. Knowing Clint, it was probably coffee and that was the last thing he needed in his system. 

“Are you sure? You look like you could use chamomile tea.”

“Tea?” His voice was rough with disuse, low and gravelly. 

“Yeah.” Clint kept his voice soft, as if he knew it would help. “I know coffee is my thing, but sometimes you just can’t, you know?”

A nod. “See?” Clint continued. “Tash keeps loose leaf tea in the cupboard for things like this. Add a little honey and it helps. Soothes you, I guess.”

He wasn’t entirely sure how to respond, so he held out his hand to take it. He cradled it close to his face. The smell was earthy, warm. Reminded him of late autumn for some reason. Like home.

“Is it okay if I sit here with you?”

It would take too much effort to speak, so he nodded again. They sat in silence for a long while. The sun went down behind the next tallest skyscraper. Brilliant hues erupted when it hit the edge of the horizon. Clint only spoke again when it was dark enough to see stars, or maybe that was a satellite. The future was weird like that. 

“Do you need to talk about it?”

The phrasing of the question struck him as odd. He struggled for an answer. “Probably,” he settled.

“Can you?”

He hesitated. “It takes… work.”

Clinted nodded and reached for his ears. He took out his hearing aids. Signed,  _ Could you do this? _

He hadn’t thought about that. Sure, hand movement took some energy, but not the kind needed to actually say the words. And the lack of noise was nice.

_ Yes, _ came a slightly shaky reply.  _ You’re deaf? _

_ Best kept secret of the Avengers _ . His smirk was mournful.  _ The only other people who know are Tash and Tony _ . Their names were finger-spelled. 

_ Do they have name signs? _ he asked.

Clint demonstrated. He signed them back to confirm. Tony’s was just holding out a hand like it had a repulsor. He couldn’t resist a little laugh when he saw. 

_ Can I ask what happened? _

_ This is supposed to be about you, _ Clint admonished. 

_ Fine _ , he signed eventually. 

Clint popped his hearing aids back in, but kept signing.  _ So what’s the reason you’re sitting up in a window no human should be able to get to? _

He paused, trying to find the words.  _ There was noise. And movement. It was too much. _

_I get that._ _Have you talked to anyone else about it? Tony would get it. Sam too. Maybe not Steve, but he has stuff going on in his head too so who knows._

_ Steve can be the most overwhelming one of them.  _

A small snort.  _ Oh yeah.  _ He stopped to think.  _ What about your therapist? Did you tell her? _

_ I did.  _

_ And? _

_ Gave me a few coping mechanisms. Don’t like them. This is already working better than any of those.  _

_ That’s something.  _

They fell back into silence, choosing to watch the city lights. “The future is intense.”

Clint startled, but looked down at the city as if trying to see the past. “I suppose it is. Lots more lights. Larger than life, right?”

“Yeah. I love it and I hate it. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.”

“And that’s okay. No one would expect you too after the life you lived,” Clint said. He didn’t get it, no one did. Not even Steve. But at least he acknowledged it. 

“Thank you.”

“Nothing to thank me for.”

“Still.”

“Just remember you can talk to me, James. Talk to any of us.”

“Next time I will.” He handed the now empty mug back to him. “Thank you for this too, by the way. It really did help.”

“I’m telling you man, it’s magic.” Clint stood and stretched. “I’ll see you down there, okay?”

“Okay.”

If the two communicated more in sign language from then on, no one said anything. It was an odd friendship, but they made it work. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr at [parallelparkner](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/parallelparkner/)


End file.
